


In Sickness and Health

by Animedemon01



Category: Carmen Sandiego (Cartoon 2019)
Genre: Fever, Flu, Fluff, Sickfic, Vomiting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-30
Updated: 2019-10-30
Packaged: 2021-01-12 23:02:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21234029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Animedemon01/pseuds/Animedemon01
Summary: Dash falls ill, but luckily he has his fiancee to take care of him.





	In Sickness and Health

**Author's Note:**

> So, this fic takes place post-VILE Dash and Zack are in their late twenties and engaged.
> 
> This fic was a request from my Tumblr: https://caramel-sandiego.tumblr.com/post/187870928562/what-i-request-for-a-dash-fanfiction-being-sick

Zack was awoken in the early hours on the morning by the sound of retching. His boyfriend-or as of two weeks ago, fiancée-Dash was not in bed next to him, and he could see that the bathroom light was on.

“Dash, are you okay?” He shouted.

“What the hell do you think?” Was the reply. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude; I just don’t feel very well right now. I’ll be out in a minute.”

Zack heard the toilet flush, followed by the running of the sink, and finally Dash coming back to bed.

“I think I ate something last night that didn’t agree with me.” He groaned, laying back down next to Zack.

Zack placed a hand on his fiancée’s forehead. “No, babe, I think you might have the flu; you feel really warm.”

Dash buried his head in his pillow. “Well, that’s just perfect. Of course, I had to get sick on the day when I have seven different students coming over for lessons.”

Despite not having to work due to the money Zack had left from his time working for Carmen, they both still had jobs, more to keep themselves busy than anything else. Dash taught violin lessons out of their apartment (he had been playing since he was young, and was pretty good at this point), and Zack worked for a small startup company.

“Yes, and you can call them in a few hours to tell them you’re not feeling well and have to cancel. For now, you should try and go back to sleep.” Said Zack. “You’ll probably be out for a few days. Have you been feeling off lately?”

The commotion had woken up Diva, their Pomeranian-Corgi mix, who had been sleeping at the foot of the bed. The dog stood up and quietly walked to the top of the bed, before curling up between her two masters.

“Yesterday I was, but I thought it was just my allergies acting up again.” Replied Dash. “After all, the symptoms of both are fairly similar.”

“I’m going to go get the thermometer from the kitchen.” Zack told him. “Need anything while I’m up?”

“Bring me a glass of water if you would, please.” Said Dash. “And an ibuprofen, too; my head is killing me right now.”

Zack ran his fingers through his fiancée’s hair. “Well, that’d the flu for ya’, babe. I’ll be back in a sec.”

Zack quietly left the room, before returning only a few minutes later with the thermometer, a glass of water, and a half empty bottle on ibuprofen. Dash reached for the pills and the water, but instead of handing them to him, Zack put them on the nightstand.

“You can have those in a sec, but first I have to take your temperature.” He told Dash. “Open up.”

Dash took the thermometer from Zack. “I can do it myself; I’m not a child.”

He slid the thermometer into his mouth, and after it beeped, handed it back to Zack without bothering to look at the screen. He swallowed two of the pills and a few sips of water, before resting his head back on the pillow.

“100.5.” Said Zack, looking at the thermometers tiny screen. “That’s a low-grade fever.”

Dash groaned. “This is going to get worse before it gets better isn’t it?”

“Most likely, but at least you’ll have me to look after you.”

Dash spent the next hour tossing and turning, alternating between being too hot and too cold, but after a while, he was finally able to fall asleep.

Dash woke up to his stomach rebelling against him once again. He barely had time to even lean over the side of the bed before throwing up everything left in his stomach. As soon as Zack had woken up an realized what was going on, he was at Dash’s side, rubbing circles into the other man’s back.

When his stomach was finally empty, Dash buried his head in his pillow, muttering apologies to Zack.

“Its not your fault.” Zack assured him. “Knowing you were sick; I probably should’ve grabbed a bucket last night. Do you think you’re gonna puke again?”

Dash groaned. “Not now, but probably soon. I feel really sick.”

“Okay, I’ll make sure to get you a bucket after I clean this up.” Zack told him. “I want to take your temperature again, too, since it’s probably gone up.”

“Okay, thanks.” Muttered Dash, burying his face deeper into his pillow. Diva snuggled up close to her sick master.

When Dash had initially escaped from VILE, he had been in very bad shape, with a multitude of injuries, and had ended up with an infection on top of everything else. Dash had been pleasantly surprised with how nice everyone was to him when he was sick. Even Shadow-San, who had been very much against the idea of taking Dash in in the first place, did everything he could to make sure the former VILE operative got better.

It wasn’t long before Dash felt a tap on his shoulder. He looked up to see Zack standing over him.

“Hey, I just need to take your temperature quick.” The red head said softly. “There’s a bucket by the side of the bed in case you need it, and I’m making you some ginger tea, which will hopefully help your stomach.”

Dash tried to reply, but instead broke into a fit of coughing. Zack pushed him into a sitting position in order to help him breath better and rubbed his back until the ordeal was over.

This time, Dash didn’t object to Zack sticking the thermometer into his mouth, and let Zack take it out after it beeped.

“102.2.” Said Zack, reading the numbers on the screen. “Your fever’s gone up, but its not high enough to be considered dangerous. Does your head still hurt?”

“Not anymore than it did before, but not any less.” Replied Dash. “My back started hurting a bit, too.”

Zack caressed his fiancée’s hair lovingly. “I know, babe, I’d give you another ibuprofen, but I’m worried you might just throw it up again if your stomach’s empty. After the tea’s ready, I’ll call your students and tell them not to come today, since you’re probably not up to doing it yourself.”

“How long on the tea?” Dash asked him.

“Let’s see, I set it to steep about five minutes ago, so it should be ready now.” Zack told him. “I’ll go get your tea and be back in a sec.”

Zack headed off to the kitchen and came back a few minutes later with a mug of tea, which he handed to Dash.

“I put some honey in it, since that’s supposed to be good for you when you’re sick.” He told Dash. “Drink it slowly; I’ll make you some toast later if you feel up to eating. I’m going to go call your students-or their parents, more likely-and tell them not to come today.”

And with that, Zack left the room, leaving Dash alone again.

By the time Zack had finished making the calls and returned to their bedroom, Dash had finished his tea, and was now sitting up in bed, Diva on his lap.

“Feeling any better?” Zack asked him.

Dash shrugged. “I guess. I think the tea helped a little. Don’t you have to go to work soon?”

Zack shook his head. “I told them you were sick, and since we don’t have any big meetings coming up, my bosses are letting work from home until you’re better.”

Zack’s bosses, a pair of sisters who founded the startup he worked for, were both pretty understanding people. Of course, it didn’t hurt that the daughter of the older of the two sisters was one of Dash’s students and had earned herself a place in a prestigious youth orchestra thanks to his teachings.

Dash groaned. “Ugh, I feel so sweaty and gross. I must look a mess.”

“Okay, I’m not going to answer that last part, because I’m pretty sure whatever I say will be the wrong answer.” Said Zack. “But if its really bothering you, I could run you a bath. A cool bath might help bring your fever down a bit, too.”

“That would be wonderful.” Replied Dash. “I also want to wash my hair while I’m in there, as I wasn’t really able to keep it out of the way when I was throwing up earlier, and I worry I might have gotten some stuck in my hair.”

“Of course. I’ll go run you a bath and come get you when its ready.”

When the bath was ready, Zack picked up carried Dash into the bathroom. While Dash was slightly taller, he was thinner and much less muscular than Zack, making him fairly easy to pick up. Due to his illness, Dash was exhausted to the point of not being able to wash his own hair, so Zack ended up doing it for him. He didn’t mind, but Dash’s complete lack of energy worried him.

After Dash had been in the water long enough to start shivering, Zack helped him out of the tub and into clean clothes, before carrying him back to bed.

After getting him settled in bed, Zack grabbed the thermometer once again, and took Dash’s temperature. It had gone down a few tenths of a degree thanks to the bath, but Dash wasn’t feeling any better.

“I need to get some work done, and I want you to try and get some more sleep while I’m doing it.” Said Zack, kissing his fiancée on the forehead. “I’ll be in the kitchen, so yell if you need anything. Okay, don’t yell since your voice is kinda hoarse as it is, so just send me a text or send Diva to come see me. Damn, we are just so unprepared for either of us getting sick. I’m gonna call Ivy and see if she can pick up some things from the pharmacy on her lunch break.”

“I’m fine, really.” Dash muttered sleepily. “You don’t have to bother your sister; I’m sure she’s busy enough as it is.”

“First off, babe; you’re clearly not fine.” Replied Zack. “Second, Ivy cares about you, and she’d have no problem taking time out of her day to help you when you’re this sick.”

Ivy and Dash got along very well. She had been excited when she learned that he was going to be her brother-in-law.

“Do you need anything before I leave?” Zack asked Dash.

“Just some water, if you don’t mind.” He replied.

Zack gave a nod and headed to the kitchen to retrieve a glass of water. After returning with the water and placing it on the nightstand, he kissed Dash once more before heading off to do his work.

Dash couldn’t fall asleep, but that wasn’t for lack of trying. He’d laid in bed for almost an hour, but couldn’t focus on anything besides just how sick he felt. After nearly an hour and fifteen minutes of lying in the dark, Zack came in to check on him.

“Can’t sleep?” He asked.

Dash groaned. “I’m so sick, I don’t even feel up to _sleeping_.”

“You want to watch a movie? It might help take your mind off how terrible you feel.”

“I guess so.” He muttered. “But only if you carry me; I don’t think I have the energy to walk to the living room.”

Zack chuckled. “Even if you wanted to, there’s no way I would let you walk that far.”

He picked up Dash and carried him to the couch, before grabbing pillows, blankets, and anything else he could find to make his fiancée as comfortable as possible. Diva, of course, followed them to the living room and settled on the couch at Dash’s feet.

“So, what movie do you want to watch?” He asked Dash.

“The Princess Bride, of course.”

“You always choose that movie when you’re sick.” Said Zack. “Why The Princess Bride of all movies?”

Dash shrugged. “It’s a good movie. Plus, it was my favorite movie as a child; I used to watch it all the time.”

“Hey, you’re the one who’s sick; you can choose any movie you like, babe.” Replied Zack. “Its getting close to noon, and I already ate, but I could make you some toast if you’d like. If you feel up to eating, that is.”

Dash shook his head. “I still feel really sick, but I could go for some of that tea you made me earlier.”

“Okay, I’ll boil some water after I get the movie started.”

Zack didn’t mind missing part of the movie; he’d seen it a few times before. In fact, the first time he saw it was after Dash had initially escaped from VILE. Due to his injuries and illness, and Shadow-San’s fear that he was still loyal to Countess Cleo, Dash had been under constant supervision by Team Red, mainly Zack and Ivy. Because he was too injured to move around a lot-and his broken arm prevented him from knitting, one of the few hobbies he found time for while working for VILE-Dash mostly watched movies and TV shows on the various streaming services Team Red was subscribed to. One time, while Zack was keeping an eye on Dash, they ended up watching The Princess Bride together. Zack was actually surprised by how good the movie was.

While Dash watched the movie from the couch, Zack sat in the recliner on the other side of the room, getting some work done on his laptop. While he wanted to give his undivided attention to Dash, he still had work he needed to get done.

When the kettle started to whistle, Zack turned, only to find Dash fast asleep. Quietly, he removed the kettle from the burner, before heading back to the living room.

He tucked a fallen blanket around his sleeping fiancée, before kissing him on the forehead. Dash still felt warm, but not as warm as he did before. Zack decided against turning the movie off; he didn’t want to take any chances that might wake Dash up.

“Sleep well, babe.” He whispered to his sleeping fiancée. “I love you.”


End file.
